Can money Buy Happiness?

Money can't buy happiness,
But Money can buy Rolex.
which is basically the same thing!


HK Snob
HK Watch Fever

The Most Affordable Beautiful Slim Dress Watch.

What Can you say about this Beauty!?

The watch itself retails at around 60k HKD. What does it offer you? A definitely very classic and un-zenith looks.

 

It has a slightly domed crystal, very nice curves and extended lugs. It has a bright silver sunburst dial with two registers displaying the running seconds and the 30-minute counter. Most importantly, it has no date aperture! A classic touch for a retro-feeling chronograph.

 

The hands are leaf-shaped. This watch is all about simplicity and elegance. The case is thin and slim but full of beautifully designed curves. It is 11mm tall. The rectangular pushers are very well integrated. One of the features I dislike on chronographs is their round pushers.

 

They look awkward on the otherwise beautiful curves of a watch, be it a Rolex Daytona or an Omega Speedmaster. Screw-down pushers look better but rectangular pushers are the best. They will not destroy the shape of the watch.

 

The movement for the watch is the famous Zenith El Primero which can be seen through the display case back. I would hope that the movement can be better polished and decorated but at this price point, I do not want to ask for too much.

The watch is 42mm wide and it comes with a black alligator strap and a clasp. I think Zenith has done a really good job on this piece.

 

So, what do you get by paying around 4xk HKD after discounts? An understated, elegant, simple, classic and vintage-feeling watch that can suit all occasions when you want to show off your jackets – instead of your watch.

 

Contact me if you want this watch in Brand new full set

 

HK Snob

HK Watch Fever

Rolex and Tudor watches for sale

Pre-owned Rolex Ref 16234 HKD$22,500
Tudor Tiger  Ref 79280 HKD$16,000

HK Snob
HK Watch Fever

These two watches were sold on 26 Feb 2016

Saint Valentines's Day

HK Snob

 

Someone could get a freebie at this restaurant

 

Staying homes is one of the ways to kill this Saint Valentines' day

 

HK Snob
HK Watch Fever

Watch Fever Gathering moved to Kowloon City.

The Stone House Café where we enjoyed the whole afternoon with over ten watch collectors today

Surrounding area of the Stone House Café

During the Song Dynasty (960-1279), Kowloon City was a part of Kwun Fu Cheung (官富場), which was a part of salt yard governed by Chinese officials. Part of the district was the location of the original Kowloon Walled City, erected during the Qing Dynasty.

Kowloon Walled City was a densely populated, largely ungoverned settlement area in Kowloon City. Originally a Chinese military fort, the Walled City became an enclave after the New Territories were leased to Britain in 1898. Its population increased dramatically following the Japanese occupation at World War II. There were 33,000 residents within its (6.4-acre) borders by 1987.

From the 1950s to the 1970s, it was controlled by Triads and had high rates of prostitution, gambling, and drug deals. I was living at the Tung Tau  Estate just opposite the Kowloon Walled City during my entire primary school education.

I had witnessed those sex shows with just 5 dollars,  (Witnessed means I was aware, did not mean I entered the show), prostitutions, and watching drug addicts took heroin inside the alley that no police was allowed to enter.

Chinese 12 zodiac is here... Starting with the top one clockwise: Yellow Gold Day Date Ref 118238, Daytona 116520, AP Royal Oak, GMT Master II Green Pointer Ref 116710LN, IWC, Submariner in Yellow Gold 116618LB, DeepSea D Blue, Submariner Hulk, Day Date 18239, 1803 white gold in oyster rivet bracelet. The one in centre is Patek Philippe Calatrava with enamel dial.

The Centre one is Monkey, My one is Rooster as I was born in 1957!

Two White Gold Day Date

Rolex Day Date 1803 in White Gold,  Saturday, "Six" date of the Chinese new year.

Someone told me just the bracelet is HKD$200,000!

 JAPAN mastermind ( Japan) g-shock FROGMAN GWF-1000MM-1JRBLACK 28, Now it is selling HK$72,000

Will you buy this with HKD$72,000 Well, there is only 200 Pieces world wide.

This recall my the good old time on Swatch collection during 1988-1992!

Today, we selected this Stone House Café as one of the places for our gathering…it is just about 15 minutes away from Lok Fu MTR station. 

It is an open air, a sausage, a brewed coffee, a Submariner, or a Date Just! If you can interested in, join us.

HK Snob
HK Watch Fever

WANTED: Seiko model Arctura SLQ003J1

 

 

 

Wanted Seiko Four Eyes Kenetic

 

Seiko Arctura Model SLQ003J1, good condition, full set preferred, Price USD$1,200 min. cash depending condition of watch.

 

Whatsapp me at  +639989811111  if you have this watch to let go...

 

 

HK Snob

HK Watch Fever

Watch Wanted : Jaeger LeCoultre Grand Master Ultra Thin in Pink Gold

 

 

We want this watch Jaeger LeCoultre Ref Q1352520 master grand Ultra Thin

Watch Should be in Mint or excellent condition 8-9/10, used.

Full set, We pay HKD$43,000 approx., price can be discussed.

Only if you want to let go, we can discuss more ...

HK Snob

Patek Philippe on sale

 

 

We have these Model of PP

5990a,
5712g
26401ro
5167r
5164a
5159g
5139g
5396/1g
5712/1a
5167a
5270g
5131r
5711/1r
5275g
6104g
6102p
5980r
5711/1a
5971p
5070p
5961p
6102r
5271p
5304r
5575g

POA

HK Snob
HK Watch Fever

Chinese's Superstition and belief

 

Is Chinese Superstitious! Yes to certain extent…

Such as Number, Cantonese does not like Number 4, we like 2, 3, 8, 9 (easy, live, rich, enough)

We don’t like to wipe the house on the first day of Chinese New year.

We don't want to visit friend on 3^rd day of Chinese new year.

Well, there are more… say we wish to be the first one, or the first few who could put the joss stick at Wong Tai Sin temple the Chinese new year eve… that cabn be return with buddha’s support…in the whole year through,

We will borrow money from Guanyin and people say they are really work… ? so I don’t need a bank loan at all.

We blame the failure of the business of career because of bad luck or simply because of the “Little People” that is someone who is always going against your will, direction or some nasty person in the office?

 

Well, Chinese are good at making thing for the need of the people, we describe this good marketing… and these are the new year launched tools you can but at Taobao.

The “Kill the nasty person Shoes” that when you walk actually your stepping on them, “Squeeze them to hell!”

I think it works, as if you feel you are standing on them… well, in the point of  psychology you are on the winning side and does you feel better!?

That is already paid off…

My wife is ordering one pair for me…   LOL!! Love her as I will have new shoes again…

Well, to be fair, there are a lot of Superstitious people in Hong Kong, on the other hand there are more who do not believe it…

Well, to be true, In the CHINESE new year, we can always see a lot of Gold Rolex as Gold Rolex in Chinese means “ good fortune” already…

What watch you wear today!?

HK Snob

HK Watch Fever

KHFC

 

 

KHFC!

 

This is third day of the Chinese new Year 3rd Day..

 

I hope it is not too late...

 

 

 

HKWF

HK Snob

Pleasure of Hand writing in the Chinese new year

Rolex Ref 1803 Platinum with turquoise dial

 

There is a chance for me to leave the work and go home, whilst in this time of chaos, when people can dare to throw bricks at the policeman, which I believe that Police would not hesitate to shoot at least using plastic bullet into the mob.... in New York, of real bullet in Netherlands.

Well, people should not destroy the freedom that we have now in HK, or the PLA will match into the border from Shenzhen into Hong Kong...

Other than this kind of unpleasant event in the FIRST day of the Chinese new year... I started to prepare writing using my pen, ink and paper, it is cheaper than any movie I can afford...

Hand writing is a way to calm down my brain, make a training on the synchronization between hand and brain.. it is a exercise for my body harmony... it is fun. and I discover that If I am not calm, I cannot write at all.

It took me 6 hours o write and I found only one is OK to be classified as "pass"!
I have been wiring for 26 years but still the hand writing is not as good as all, as my brain is contaminated with money, Rolexperience and Sexperience...

I think only one day I can write better is after I convert myself into a Monk in a temple after my retirement from the company I am working...

Let's see... it is not far away, I am 59 now.

I hope that HK a real peaceful place for everyone to live... no more street fighting, blood or gun shooting... casualties in case of loss control at the situation...

PS, Rolex Day Date Platinum in Stella turquoise or Ox blood is one of my dream watches.


HK Snob
HK Watch Fever

The Story of the Legendary Omega Seamaster 300

 

 

The Seamaster 300 was first released in 1957 as a part of Omega's trilogy of "Masters" professional tool watches ----- the Seamaster for divers, the anti-magnetic Railmaster for engineers and scientists, and the Speedmaster for race car drivers (that's right, it was never intended to go to the moon initially). 

The Seamaster line of watches has been in existence since 1948, but those before the SM300 were really little more than dress type watches with limited water resistance ability.  The SM300 was Omega's answer to the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms and the Rolex Submariner, released a few years prior.  The "SM300" moniker was a bit misleading because it was only rated at 200 m water resistance, but Omega insisted that was due to the limitation of their testing equipment which had a maximum scale of 200 m.  Omega was confident the watch could go all the way down to 300 m without problem.   

 

 

 

 

 

All three "Masters" models initially shared the same broad arrow hands, non-screw down Naiad crown, and basic overall case design. 

 

The first SM300 ref.CK2913 had a case diameter of 39 mm.  Being 1957, some of the early ones probably had radium on the dial, hands, and bezel for luminescence. Due to serious health concerns, the use of radium on watches was finally banned in the late 1950s/early 1960s.

The broad arrow hour hand disappeared shortly after 1960 when the case ref.# was changed to CK14755, and then later to 165.014 in 1962.

The ref. CK2913, CK14755, and 165.014 were very similar watches with differences in the type of hands used, and minor dial and movement updates.  They continued to use the same cases and bezels, and no date function was available.  The three models also saw a transition from using radium to the new material (for that era), tritium.

 

On the CK14755, the broad arrow hour hand remained in use briefly, but the broad arrow was soon moved from the hour hand to the minute hand, and sometime later, the small arrow tip second hand appeared.  The dials of the CK2913 and the CK14755 appeared to be identical.

 

 

 

The 165.014 brought a new set of hands.  While the arrow tip second hand was carried over, the hour and minute hands became straight baton or "candlestick" shaped.  The dial displayed a different font for the "Seamaster 300" script, as well as the numbers "3", "6", "9", and "12" at the quarter hour positions.  Unlike the previous two reference models, the hour markers (which used to be triangular) were redesigned to rectangular shapes.  The case remained at 39 mm, and still has the same straight lugs, used the same bezel design, and also the same crown.

The CK14755 and the 165.014 were transitional models between the early CK2913 and the upcoming ref.165024.

 

The next and final SM300 model was the ref.165024/166024, produced from 1962-69.  The 166024 is the same as a 165024, with a quickset date function.  It was said Omega had begun working on this new model as early as 1962, but the first watches were not available to authorized dealers until sometime in 1963 or even as late as 1964. 

The no date version came out first, with baton hour/minute hands and arrow tip second hand, Naiad crown, and the dial carried over from the previous ref.165.014.  The cal.552, 24 jewel automatic movement was also used in the CK14755 and the 165.014.  The bezel and the case were redesigned.  The 40 mm rotating bezel now has 60 minute divisions with 60 clicks.  The case has been enlarged to 42 mm (in keeping with the Speedmaster), and the lug width was increased to 20 mm from the previous 19 mm.  Gone were the straight lugs, they were redone in a twisted style like the Speedmaster's.  The date feature was added no earlier than 1966, more likely in 1967 due to the fact that calibre 565 was being developed in 1966 and used in the ref.166024 version.  Probably at around the same time, with the introduction of 166024, the famous "broad sword" (hour) hand replaced the baton hour hand that was being used on the 165024.

 

Beginning in 1966, the British Ministry of Defence (MOD) began negotiation with Omega regarding the specification for a diver's watch for the Royal Navy and military.  The MOD's spec. and a drawing of the prototype of this watch looked almost eerily identical to the existing SM300 165024.  The military specification included a "T" in circle on the dial, denoting tritium was being used for luminescence; a tritium filled inverted big triangle marker at 12 o'clock position, replacing the original number "12"; military serial #s engraved on the case back; spring bars permanently welded to the lugs; broad "sword" (hour) hands; a screw down crown for improved water resistance, and a 20 mm width NATO strap in "admiralty grey".  The remaining specification was already fulfilled by the SM300 as is without the need for further modification.

Three of these military inspired features made their way into civilian watches, and soon became available to the public in or after 1967.  The big triangle marker and the screw down crown were two such features, however, the broad sword hand seemed to be already in use before the MOD meeting. 

Please note not all 1967 and later SM300s had the big triangle on the dial; Omega continued to make the version with the Arabic number "12" also, therefore the ones with the big triangle are especially desirable and such models are much sought after today by collectors.

 

 

The Phoenix Strap company was the original supplier of NATO straps for the British military, and it is still in business today.  I bought a new admiralty grey strap from the company for around $17 pounds.

 

By the end of the 1960s, Omega no longer planned to continue producing the SM300, and the last watches were assembled and sold as 1970 models.  The successor to the SM300 was the SM600 "Ploprof", another famous Omega and much sought after collector's item, but less aesthetic and practical as a regular daily wear wristwatch.

 

 

An interesting side note about military watches:

The British MOD had used a number of different watches for their military departments.  After the early 1970s, the Royal Navy switched from using the SM300 to other brands including the Rolex Submariner.  Those subsequent watches were modified to conform to military specification resembling the SM300.  So a military Submariner (MilSub) is a Submariner with a SM300 style bezel and broad sword hands instead of the original Rolex hands, while a "MilSM300" is essentially the same watch as the regular civilian one.  That's why a MilSub is especially pricey (if it's an original sample, fakes abound) because it is a marriage between a Submariner and a SM300 in very limited numbers not available for sale at any authorized dealer.  Also, that's why a SM300 is such good value for money because you're getting a military spec. watch that's essentially the same as an actual military issued sample.  Omega deserves to be complimented for that; the company seems to be very generous about giving the best of what it has to its customers without holding back anything.

 

Another side note:  the MilSub came in two versions.  The ref. 5513 came either with the original Rolex hands and bezel, or with the SM300 bezel and sword hands.  The other, ref. 5517 came exclusively with the SM300 bezel and the sword hands.  Needless to say, it's the SM300 featured version which is more valuable and harder to find.  However, the MOD specification called for a 60 minute division bezel and sword hands, so how did the ones with the original Rolex parts ever came to be issued?  Perhaps those were used by military of nations other than the British?

 

Some interesting things I've noticed about my SM300:

 

 

 

It is all original in unrestored condition, except for the hands.  The hands are Omega replacement parts; you'll notice that the luminous material appears newer and has a slight greenish hue vs. the original tritium on the dial.  That material is LumiNova, or Super-LumiNova, which is non-radioactive, and therefore does not degrade with time like radium or tritium.  Tritium is radioactive, like radium, but a lot less.  It is said the thickness of the watch crystal is sufficient to protect the wearer from most if not all of the radiation emitted.  Radium-226 has a half life of ~1,600 years, whereas tritium's is 12.3 years; so my 48 year old watch hardly has much tritium left in it.  The hands glow much brighter in the dark than the hour markers on the dial, as you can see in one of the attached pictures.

The calibre 565 movement is not chronometer certified, but contrary to my Constellation, has kept amazingly accurate time (+2 to +4 sec./day) when I received it.  I believe this is due to a good servicing history.  I took it to my watchmaker to have an overhaul anyway, and since then, it runs fast by more than 15 seconds/day.  I will ask my watchmaker to readjust its rate when I take my Constellation in to be serviced this summer.

The date function is quickset (you can adjust the date by manipulating the crown).  The date is advanced by pulling the crown out to the third position.  The date moves forward by one day each time you pull and push on the crown; this is unusual compared to newer watches in which the date is adjusted by turning the crown.

 

 

 

The inside of the case back is stamped 165024 originally, but has been crossed out and restamped 166024.  This worried me at first, thinking perhaps this case back maybe fake.  I've searched and found pictures of other similar looking case backs on otherwise legitimate looking watches.  My understanding is, Omega had decided to end production of the SM300 by the late 1960s, so in order to use up the remaining parts in stock, some of the surplus 165024 case backs have been restamped by Omega and used on those later SM300s with date function.

The date display is black numbers on a silver background.  Another variation is white numbers on a black background.  Both variations are authentic, but I find the black on silver not so easy to read, and the white on black blends in better with the "6" and "9" at the other quarter hour positions on the dial.

The watch came to me on a fine looking German made 22 mm black leather pilot strap, but I replaced it with a Phoenix NATO to better suit its military character.

The 165024/166024 is classified as a fourth generation SM300 by case reference numbers, but could also be regarded as second generation by case design (42 mm vs. the previous 39 mm versions) and overall appearance.

- Model ----- Omega Seamaster 300, diver's watch 

- Purchased in October 2014 on Ebay from Sydney, Australia. 

- Year of manufacture ----- 1968

- Case ref. number ----- 166024 

- Movement serial number ----- 27 million 

- Calibre 565, in-house non-chronometer movement, automatic winding, 24 jewels, 19,800 beats/hour, swan-neck timing regulator w/ adjustment screw, Incabloc shock protection system, copper-plated movement. 

- Case diameter ----- 42 mm without the crown 

- Case material ----- 316L stainless steel 

- Width between lugs ----- 20 mm 

- Type of bracelet ----- 20 mm admiralty grey nylon NATO strap by Phoenix Straps, UK.

- Power reserve ----- 50 hours 

- Water resistance ----- 200 m 

- Non-original "broad sword" hour hand, baton or "candlestick" minute hand, and white "arrow-tip" second hand; quick-set date function 

- Original, unrestored matte black dial with tritium filled hour markers; inverted "big triangle" hour marker at 12 o'clock position. 

 

 

 

- Domed triple layer Hesalite (acrylic) crystal with a tiny Omega logo engraved in the centre. 

- Bi-directional rotating bezel with graduated 60 minute divisions and 60 clicks; black plastic resin bezel insert with sealed tritium filled markers 

- Screw down type crown 

- Stainless steel case back with hippocampus (seahorse) logo.

 

JTK a watch Guru from Canada.

 

 

HK snob

HK Watch Fever

 

Rare Rolex Day Date on Sale Ref 18038

 

 

I have been written a lot of article about Day Date simply they are best watch on earth...

 

Durable, stylish, right size, good branding, good investment item, gold, and most of all your young subordinate will not buy yet as they all think that this is a watch for successful mature man... Right or wrong I don't want to comment...

 

 

This is a rare 18038 because of the dial is very rare, and this is black colour, one of the most preferred colour on Rolex.

 

Condition 9 of 10

 

Year 1979

 

Price USD$30,000

 

HK Snob